A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 41-9089) nicknamed "Johnny Reb" of the 92nd Bomb Group, formerly of the 97th Bomb Group takes off. Image stamped on reverse: 'New York Times Photo.' [stamp], 'Air (Boeing) FLY.' [annotation] and '219847.'[Censor no.] A printed caption was previously attached to the reverse, however this has been lost. Handwritten caption on reverse: '4/9/42, marsh ground. Johnny Reb.'
Info from Roger Freeman's "The Mighty Eighth War Diary", photo caption on page 14 :
"Johnny Reb, the Fortress in which 8AF sustained its first heavy bomber combat fatality on 21 August, lifts off from Bovingdon on a trainig flight, 4 September. The co-pilot has braked the main wheels which are just starting to retract. Along with the other B-17E models of the 97BG this aircraft was transferred to the Combat Crew replacement centre in late August."

Ground crew of the 92nd Bomb Group wait with an ambulance as a B-17 Flying Fortress (UX-D, serial number 42-5734) nicknamed "Seymour Angel" lands at Alconbury. Printed caption on reverse: 'BRITISH OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPH DISTRIBUTED BY THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION CROWN COPYRIGHT RESERVED. BRITISH EQUIPMENT AT AMERICAN AIR-FIELD. Members of the U.S. Army Air Force stationed in Great Britain are in a good position to appreciate the British end of Lend-Lease arrangements. A visit to an American bomber station "somewhere in England" shows some of the many varieties of equipment with which Britain supplies her American Ally. No.7. British made cash tenders and ambulances wait, ready for an emergency, at the strategic corners of the field, as the B-17 Fortresses land after a mission over the Rhur. The engines of the trucks are kept running, the men stand alert at their posts read to move into instant action should a plane, damaged by enermy action, foul its landing. On the back of the crash tender is an asbestos suit. Its wearer can work in fire for several minutes - vital ones, should a plane catch fire and its crew be trapped. In the background a B-17 has landed. Already the sergeant on the telephone is watching the next plane land. No.D.15116. For other prints in this series see miniature and feature set file. USA(BRI)CCC.FIR.' Handwritten caption on reverse: '1/ British Equipment at American Airfield. 2/ Reverse lease-lend 3/ Cash tenders.'

Ground crew of the 92nd Bomb Group load bombs onto a B-17 Flying Fortress at Bovingdon. Image stamped on reverse: 'Planet News Passed by Censor.'[stamp]. 'Return to P.I.D' [stamp].'Copyright B.L.Davis'[stamp]. Printed caption on reverse: 'NOT TO BE PUBLISHED BEFORE THE DAILY NEWSPAPERS ON TUESDAY - 20th October 1942. AMERICAN FORTRESS BOMBERS IN BRITAIN PREPARE FOR NEXT MOVE. These pictures of American Fortress bombers were taken at the operational station of the United States Army Air Forces operating in Britain. The bombers have carried out many successful raids on enemy territory, but have so far operated by daylight only. They are now busy at their base somewhere in England, getting ready for their next surprise attack. PHOTO SHOWS:- Men of the ground staff of the United States Army Air Force, busy at bombing-up the 'planes just before a take-off at the operational 'drome somewhere in England. AND 19th October, 1942. PN-s CENSOR NO:227604/5/6/7/8.'

The 92nd Group's 327th Bomb Squadron was the only Eighth Air Force squadron to fly YB-40s in combat. YB-40s were B-17s modified to fly as a heavily armed escort for other bombers. They were flown on missions between May and June 1943. Between May 1943 and February 1944, the Group, nicknamed 'Fame's Favoured Few', mainly flew missions attacking strategic targets across occupied Europe culminating in the missions of Big Week, 20-25 February 1944. In the aftermath of these sustained attacks on German targets, the focus of the Group's missions shifted west towards France and the Low Countries.

The Group flew 308 missions using 8,633 sorties and dropped 20,829 tons of bombs. The Group lost 154 aircraft MIA.

CLAIMS TO FAME
First 8th AF Bomb Group to make a non-stop Atlantic flight to the United Kingdom
327th Bomb Squadron was the only unit equipped with the YB-40 for combat
Flew the secret Disney rocket-bomb (TV guided) experimental mission early in 1945
Acted as VIII Bomber Command's Combat Crew Replacement Center Aug-42 to May 43
Led the last 8th AF mission of the war.

Military | Brigadier General | Pilot | 482nd Bomb GroupIn 1934 joined Army Air Corp in pilot training. Joined 91st BG in September 1942. On March 4, 1943, taxying accident at Bassingbourne in Boston III AL441 on return from a photographic flight with Mr. LH Cave Chinn as a passenger. Chinn was a British...

Military | Lieutenant General | Pilot | 306th Bomb Group The Reich WreckersHe was CO of the 423rd BS from 01 March 1942 to 19 February 1943. Also, was GP Operations Officer 19 February 1943 to 22 June 1943. Flew 17 missions from 09 Oct 1942 to 26 June 1943. He was wounded and returned to the US. October 1943 he became...

26 September 194297BG and 301BG together despatch 45 B-17s to bomb the German airfields of Maupertus near Cherbourg and Porjeau at Morlaix, France. 301BG is recalled because the fighter escort of p-38s from 1FG is recalled. The 97BG aborts the mission over the Bay of...

9 October 1942Bombers are dispatched to bomb the steel and engineering works of the Compagnie de Fives at Lille, France and the locomotive and freight car works of Ateliers d'Hellemmes at Lille which are the Primary (P) targets. Other targets are Courtrai Airfield,...

9 October 1942Bombers are dispatched to bomb the steel and engineering works of the Compagnie de Fives at Lille, France and the locomotive and freight car works of Ateliers d'Hellemmes at Lille which are the Primary (P) targets. Other targets are Courtrai Airfield,...

9 October 1942Bombers are dispatched to bomb the steel and engineering works of the Compagnie de Fives at Lille, France and the locomotive and freight car works of Ateliers d'Hellemmes at Lille which are the Primary (P) targets. Other targets are Courtrai Airfield,...

21 October 1942German U-Boat pens are Lorient, France are the Primary (P) targets for this mission along with the German airfield at Cherbourg, France. 93BG despatches 24-B-24s to Lorient, but cloud cover prevents them from bombing. The main attack force to Lorient...

14 May 1943Today's operations will be the most extensive yet mounted by VIII Bomber Command. The operations call for a "maximum effort". Whereas in the past a single target or those close together have been chosen, today's effort is against widley separated...

15 May 1943The missions of VIII Bomber Command are becoming more sophisticated. The primary stratgic target for today is the U-Boat pens, marshalling yards and Luftwaffe airfield at Emden, Germany. The resistance of Luftwaffe fighters is a primary concern for the...

17 May 1943VIII Bomber Command launches another operation against German U-Boat facilities with three elements. The first element is a formation of 100 B-17s despatched from: 91BG (24); 92BG (10); 303BG (21); 305BG (21) and 306BG (24) to attack the German U-Boat...

19 May 1943The German naval bases at Kiel and Flensburg, Germany are the two primary targets for this mission. A force of 123 B-17s is despatched from: 91BG (19); 92BG (10); 303BG (27); 305BG (22); 306BG (24) and 351BG (21) to bomb the naval facilities at Kiel,...

Stations

Connections

People

Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 92nd Bomb Group Fame's Favoured FewShot down by fighters, B-17G #42-31231exploded in mid-air and crashed near Wambeln, GR on a mision to Munster and Hamm, GR on 23 Mar 194. Killed in Action (KIA).

Military | Staff Sergeant | Bombardier; Togglier | 92nd Bomb Group Fame's Favoured FewUpon returning from a flight check, B-17G #42-37799 landed long and ran off the end of the runway. RTD. Struck by 20mm shells, B-17G #42-31888 went out of control, exploded into to pieces and crashed E of Hamm, GR on a mission to Munster and Hamm, GR...

Military | Staff Sergeant | Waist Gunner | 92nd Bomb Group Fame's Favoured FewAccording to US trial 12-1871, killed while prisoner of war at or near Gießen-Wieseck, Ger, after surviving mid air collision of his plane.

Military | Technical Sergeant | Gunner | 303rd Bomb GroupOrginally assigned with the 92BG at Bovingdon, UK as an Aerial Gunner with the rank of Sergeant. He flew his first mission (and the only one with the 92BG) on 21-Oct-42.
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Aircraft

B-17 Flying FortressThe second F-1 Block Boeing built Fortress. First flew 30/5/42 before delivered to Cheyenne 11/6/42 The first XB-40 prototype was converted by the Vega division of Lockheed.as the Vega V-139. They converted a standard Boeing-built B-17F (serial...

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database / The Mighty Eighth. A History of the Units, Men and Machines of the US 8th Air Force.' by Roger A. Freeman (1989). 'Air Force Combat Units of World War II' compiled by the Department of the US Air Force, edited by Maurice Maurer (1983). / Units in the UK from ETOUSA Station List, as transcribed by Lt. Col. Philip Grinton (US Army, Retired) and extracted by IWM; air division data from L.D. Underwood, based on the 8th Air Force Strength Report of 6th August 1944, as published in 'The 8th Air Force Yearbook' by Lt. Col. John H Woolnough (1980)